For as much as I expected the Cubs to finish the season strong, it wasn't going to make up for the fact that a number of teams in front of them in the Wild Card chase are not only better composed, but are actually riding pretty good hot streaks.
You watch the Rockies play, and realize that the likelihood of a September fade is unlikely. Yesterday, the Rox took another step toward the playoffs with a 7-5 win in 11 officially ending the Cubs hopes in the process.
We can now all start the wait till next year process.
Fortunately, we at least ...

As a lifelong Cubs fan, Ernie Banks, aka “Mr. Cub,” was one of my heroes growing up. So you can imagine the thrill I experienced when I was given the opportunity to interview the greatest Cub of all time.
For those of you who have been living under a rock, Ernie Banks is a Hall of Fame shortstop and first baseman who started his major league career with the Cubs in 1953. How great was Mr. Cub? Consider this: In 1958 and '59, Ernie won consecutive National League MVP awards despite playing for teams that finished in last place.
I remember watching ...

As if it wasn't a forgone conclusion already, Lou Piniella seemed to close the door on any possibility of Milton Bradley returning to the Cubs next year.
On ESPN 1000's "Waddle and Silvy" show today, Piniella talked about next year's team. It seems clear that Bradley is not in the plans.
"We needed a big bat to put in the middle part of our lineup, and we thought Milton would be the one. And it just didn't work out, for whatever reason. So we move forward from there and now we try to find somebody else."
Bradley with the Cubs was never a ...

According to most everything I’ve read or heard, it seems a foregone conclusion that Rich Harden won’t be wearing a Cubs uniform next year.
But wait, not so fast. With Harden’s history of injuries, I would be surprised if he received a multiple-year offer from anybody. If some team has a brain cramp and does so, then the Cubs will say goodbye. Otherwise, I’d like to see him come back.
I know the Cubs need payroll flexibility. But good starting pitching is hard to find. It seems reasonable to pay a guy like Harden $10 million or so for one more year.
Let's say they offer ...

After the 2006 season ended, the future of Jason Marquis seemed to be very much in doubt. Marquis was coming off the worst season of his career where he posted an embarrassing 6.02 for the Cardinals and even led the league in home runs allowed and earned runs allowed.Luckily for Marquis, he became a free agent at the perfect time. Teams were desperate for pitching and the Cubs decided to take a chance on Marquis. A very expensive chance. The Cubs signed Marquis to a 3 year/$24 million dollar contract that baffled most of the baseball world.For the first two ...

There are so many reason why the Cubs’ franchise and its management suck and why they will continue to do so.
Here is one of them, via Bloomberg (with a hat tip to The Big Lead):
Tribune Co., the bankrupt newspaper publisher, is seeking court permission to pay as much as $66 million in bonuses to its managers based on operating cash flow predicted to be the lowest in at least 10 years.
While you’re at it Tribune Co., why not throw a few extra dollars Alfonso Soriano’s way? As long as we’re rewarding sub-par performance, seems like he should be at the top ...

Sigh. One week.
There are two times of the year that I absolutely hate. The first is that week between Christmas and New Year. Everything is slow, no one is around, it's cold, and all you're really left to do is watch bad bowl games and reflect on a year that probably didn't live up to your expectations.
The other is this week—that last week of the baseball season when your playoff hopes have (often) been dashed. And you know that at this time next week, the gates at the park are shut and players will be jetting off to warmer climates.
And ...

I sure hope that this is one of those cases of where there may be smoke, but no actual fire.
In Phil Rogers’ quick-hits column at the Tribune today (via FanNation T&R), he says that “some baseball people” believe that the White Sox and Cubs could be interested in swapping Jake Peavy and Carlos Zambrano.
Before I show you the excerpt, let me give you my unequivocal initial reaction to this White Sox-Cubs trade rumor, from my perspective as a White Sox fan: hell no!
Here is what Rogers has to say:
Some baseball people believe the White Sox could have interest in the Cubs’ Carlos Zambrano, possibly ...